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topicnews · August 29, 2024

Brunson ‘almost bigger’ than Jay-Z, talks future of US tennis – NBC New York

Brunson ‘almost bigger’ than Jay-Z, talks future of US tennis – NBC New York

There is no doubt that Frances Tiafoe feels at home at the US Open.

The US tennis star from Maryland secured a place in the third round of the Grand Slam and expressed his love for an NBA star.

Before his second-round game against Alexander Shevchenko on Wednesday, he wore a New York Knicks Jalen Brunson jersey.

“Brunson is the man here,” Tiafoe said of the star guard. “He’s almost bigger than Jay-Z.”

It turned out that the fifth-ranked American was representing his New York NBA roots, as Mikal Bridges said he would be performing at the game.

“It’s funny – I actually tried to wear a Mikal Bridges [jersey] because he was going to come to the game today and he texted me that he was coming to the game, but I’m just not a morning person, so I put it on and then when I took it off for practice, I was like, ‘My God, Jalen,'” Tiafoe said.

Bridges, who played college basketball at Villanova alongside Brunson and fellow Knicks players Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, will head to New York after being traded from the Brooklyn Nets.

Rise of American men’s tennis

While the NBA is currently in the offseason, Tiafoe (ranked 20th in the world) faces quite a challenge in round 3 of the US Open. He will face fellow countryman (number 13) Ben Shelton – a repeat of the 2023 US Open quarterfinals, which Shelton won in four sets.

Known for thriving in the electric atmosphere of New York City, the two Americans are no doubt looking forward to this duel.

“I definitely want to play against him – he’s a lot like me in terms of the enthusiasm and energy he shows on the court, and he has such a big game, such big shots, such big serves and he gets the crowd going,” Tiafoe said. “He’s young, funny, cracks jokes. He’s about as immature as I am.”

There is also great enthusiasm on Shelton’s side of the court. But what really motivates the 21-year-old star, who lives in Florida, is the rise of American tennis.

“The quality of U.S. men’s tennis is going up 100 percent,” Shelton said. “We haven’t had this many players in this competitive position in a long time. Everyone wants that big, next Grand Slam or the next big moment for an American star, but I think the gradual improvement and progression is what will really continue to push the Americans to the top of the game.”

Currently, the world’s top 20 consists of five American players – No. 20 Tiafoe, No. 16 Sebastian Korda, No. 14 Tommy Paul, No. 13 Shelton and No. 12 Taylor Fritz.

The last American to win the US Open was Andy Roddick in 2003.

“There’s a window, there’s an opportunity in the game,” Tiafoe said. “I think this is definitely the game we can win. We just haven’t done it yet. We’ve got five guys in the top 20, all the guys are dangerous, all the guys are capable.”

Tiafoe and Shelton are the highlights of the third round of men’s tennis at the US Open, with the first serve scheduled for Friday.

Taylor Fritz, the top-ranked American at the US Open, talks about his tournament progress so far this year and why the Americans have had such a long dry spell at their home Grand Slam.

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